


Where Different Paths Lead

by tobiasclancy



Series: Where Different Paths Lead [1]
Category: Read Dead Redemption 2, Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Hurt, I'm terrible at tagging, There's some plot if you squint, arthur still eats pussy like a champ, estranged wife, i made myself sad writing this, idk he got fucked so there's some comfort in that, married!arthur, maybe comfort?, or a lot sad, porn with little plot, this is a bit sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 02:47:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20351113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tobiasclancy/pseuds/tobiasclancy
Summary: And here they sat again. Two people on two very different paths, both with a choice to make. He was scared, and he knew she was just as terrified.





	Where Different Paths Lead

**Author's Note:**

> So trying my hand again at some hetero stuff seeing as my last hetero fic was very well received. Thank you to everyone who reads my work, leaves kudos/comments and bookmarks. I recognise a lot of your user names now, and I nearly cried when I saw some of my fav writers for this fandom have left kudos.
> 
> Thank you all again so much, and I hope you all enjoy this!
> 
> *EDIT 24 AUGUST 2019*
> 
> This fic is now part of a series. It can either be read as a stand alone piece, or as the first chapter of the next work, 'Where Different Paths Lead - Part 2'. If you read part 2, please read this first.

John only needed to see her from the back to instantly recognise her; a woman he could never forget. In another time, in some other place, they had been familiar, and he wondered if her looks still matched her personality.

Abigail side eyed her husband as he watched the mystery woman walk into Dutch’s tent, watched how she received a welcome that wasn’t cold, but wasn’t exactly warm either. Then the tent flap closed, and Abigail fixed her eyes back onto John.  
  
“Who’s she?” Abigail tried to keep the jealously she felt inside her down.  
  
John laughed awkwardly.  
  
“Someone that Arthur is gonna be real pleased or real pissed to see.”  
  
Abigail raised a brow at the man, but said nothing as she watched him walk away. Her eyes focused on the tent, but she soon moved on, deciding she did not want to get caught in the middle of whatever was going to happen.

* * *

Arthur almost fell off his horse when he saw the big black thoroughbred leisurely eating away at the grass with the rest of the gang’s horses. He would always recognise the beast – which had belonged to him up until a few years ago – he never thought he’d see it again. A beautiful creature, all black except for a slim, white stripe down from his head to his tail. He often regretted giving him up.  
  
He rode his recently acquired morgan – named Spunky, thanks to Marston – up to the other horses and jumped off. He fed his steed, brushed her down, and walked over to examine the newcomer.  
  
“Hey big boy. I missed you Osiris.” Arthur murmured as he patted the animal’s neck.  
  
Osiris lifted his head, and upon recognising Arthur he nudged at his chest with his soft nose, letting out a puff of air and a quiet, content noise before continuing to eat.  
  
Arthur looked around for his owner, a number of emotions swirling around his body at the thought of seeing her again. When he couldn’t see her in the near vicinity, he began walking closer to camp. He walked past John’s tent, and the man came almost bounding out. The look on John’s face confirmed his suspicions further – _she was here._

Arthur held his hand up before John could even open his mouth. “I know.” Was all he said.  
  
John just nodded a little dumbly. “You gonna be okay?” He asked quietly.  
  
Arthur avoided the question and answered with one of his own.  
  
“How do I look?”  
  
John smirked. “Like a big dirty outlaw.”  
  
Arthur gave him a wry smile. “Good enough then.”  
  
John then pointed to Dutch’s tent, and Arthur headed in that direction, thoughts swirling in his head. After last time, he thought he’d never see the woman again. It’d been five years since he’d see or heard from her, he couldn’t be too sure of the time frame.  
  
As Arthur walked towards their leaders tent, he did stop by the wash barrel and quickly washed his face and hands.  
  
When he reached Dutch’s tent, he found himself stopping himself from opening the flap, stopping himself from entering inside. He could turn around, leave camp, and act like he hadn’t known she’d been here.

On the other hand, he wanted, _craved_, to see her, even if it was just once more. He didn’t care if she kissed him, or outright slapped him.  
  
His choice was made for him as Dutch pulled the tent flap up. He was laughing at something someone said, and when he caught sight of Arthur caught like a deer before the barrel of a rifle, he smiled soberly at him.  
  
“Arthur,” He called out, unnecessarily loudly. “We have a visitor my boy.”  
  
As Dutch stepped out, so did the other occupant in the tent, and Arthur’s breath left him.  
  
She was still breathtakingly beautiful, and everything he’d ever wanted. Her dark, chocolate coloured hair was worn loose around her face, she wore a dark blue coat over a white button-down shirt, her legs covered in fitted, dark coloured riding pants that hugged her in all the right places and wore riding boots that reached to her upper calf, looked to be made of the most supple and comfortable leather. She stood about a head shorter than him, her dark eyes bore into him, and as usual, he couldn’t tell if she was pleased or pissed to see him.  
  
Quickly he schooled his features, returning to something he hoped was unreadable and neutral, and held his hand out to the woman.  
  
“Mrs Morgan.” He drawled.  
  
She levelled him with a small smirk. “Mr Morgan.” She took his hand, but rather than shaking it, she pulled the man into a fierce hug, wrapping her arms around his middle. Arthur, unsure of what to do, let his arms hang awkwardly out at his sides.  
  
She pulled back and levelled him with a slight frown. “Is that anyway to treat your wife?”  
  
Arthur snorted. “_Estranged_ wife. You ain’t exactly been around.”  
  
She had the decency to look ashamed at that and pulled away from him completely, keeping a small distance.  
  
“I’ve been busy. As have you and yours, apparently.”  
  
Arthur shrugged. “You know how we live.” He held his arm out for her and she looped hers with his. They began to walk off towards the edge of camp, away from prying eyes and ears.  
  
“All too well, apparently.”  
  
“What are you doing here, Dahlia?” Arthur questioned without looking at her.  
  
“Came across some information I thought could be of use to your gang.”  
  
“Uh-huh.” Arthur chewed on that. He thought to ask her what kind of information, but figured Dutch would let him in on it eventually.  
  
“I don’t get you.” Was what he said instead.  
  
Dahlia gave a humourless chuckle. “I know.”  
  
Arthur couldn’t help but stare at her face. He’d missed her, and while he knew he loved her, he had moved on. Had recovered from the loss of her, had put himself back together. But here she was trampling on all that work, re-breaking the cracks he had mended. Yet he couldn’t hate her. They both knew why it had panned out this way.  
  
“Last we met you were bounty huntin’.” Arthur said as he helped her to sit on the rock.  
  
“Now I run errands for the Marshall.”  
  
Arthur raised his brows at that. This made her visit to camp far more dangerous for her and could put her reputation on the line.  
  
She allowed a laugh at his expression. “Don’t give me that look. I wasn’t dumb enough to get followed here.”  
  
Arthur nodded, then looked away from her, feeling his heart pound in joy and sheer agony just being in her presence again.  
  
“Osiris looks well.” Arthur spoke, just for something to say. He wasn’t good at this.  
  
“He’s an ornery bastard, but I love him.” She chuckled. “Almost as much as I love the man who gave him to me.”  
  
“Dahl,” Arthur warned. “That’s over.”  
  
“Ain’t mean I don’t still love you.”  
  
They sat in silence, both staring out towards the horizon, watching as the sky changed from blue, to pinks and purples as the sun began to set. It was both comforting and uncomfortable for the couple. All the hurt and pain they had caused each other over the years due to choosing different careers and paths.  
  
Dahlia had spent time in the gang when she was younger. Arthur had only been a teen, barely seventeen, and she a young woman at twenty-four. They’d been fast friends, and even faster lovers, marrying not long after Arthur turned twenty years old. Things changed when Dahlia decided she wanted to leave the gang. Arthur wouldn’t budge, and they’d been forced to go their separate ways.  
  
Since then, Dahlia had shown up occasionally, usually to warn them they were being hunted by other bounty hunters. She’d aided them with information for heists sometimes. With her occupation being what it was, Arthur still didn’t understand why she would risk it. If he allowed himself to think about it, he knew damn well why she kept helping them.  
  
The last time they parted left a bitter taste in his mouth and a sick feeling in his guts whenever he thought about it. Rather than just giving them information, she’d decided to help them with a job. It had gone well – extremely well – up until the law caught wind of the crime and had hunted them down. They’d lost two of their own and killed five times as many lawmen and bounty hunters. It had been too close a call for Dahlia. She’d panicked, they fought like they’d never fought before. She left, and Arthur stayed.  
  
He’d regretted it every day since, but he never had the courage to leave everything he knew to go and find her.  
  
She interrupted his dark thoughts by clearing her throat gently. He hadn’t realised his hand had found hers.  
  
“I’m staying in a saloon not far from here.” Her voice was level and didn’t betray the anxiety he could see in her body language, the tightness in her jaw, the way her eyes roamed over his face.  
  
“Would you care to join me?” She asked quietly.  
  
“Sure.”

* * *

When they reached the saloon, they wasted no time with talking. They both made their way up to her room, and as soon as the door was shut, they were on each other. Dahlia’s hands bunched into fists in Arthur’s shirt and she slammed him backwards into to the door while assaulting his mouth with hers. Arthur groaned into her mouth as she bit down into his lips.  
  
His hands travelled down her body and gripped her arse, lifting her body up and spreading her legs around his middle. Ever the acrobat, Dahlia braced her knees against the door and pushed off, forcing Arthur off balance and to the bed, where they both fell unceremoniously.  
  
Arthur attacked her throat as they both began to undress each other. Arthur dumped his coat to the wood floor as he continued to kiss and lick and bite at the woman’s exposed skin while she began unbuttoning his shirt while pulling his suspenders down his shoulders. It had been a while since he’d had anyone, and he was already almost painfully hard, his erection straining against his buttoned jeans.  
  
Once he’d been rid of his shirt, he threw it across the room and immediately grabbed for her blouse, not bothering to unbutton it and just tearing it open, the buttons flying all over the room. Dahlia helped him in removing her blouse as he began to take off her riding pants and boots, throwing the items to the floor. This left her in just her under things, the sight of her forcing a gutted sound from inside him as he looked down at her.  
  
With a cheeky smirk, she crooked a finger at him.  
  
He groaned and kicked his boots off quickly, dropping his gun belt too as he near dove onto the bed. He kissed her ferociously, putting every ounce of pain, anger and love he felt for the woman into the kiss. She moaned into him, matching everything he gave her.  
  
He ground his clothed erection into her, and she ground her hips back into him as he massaged a covered breast in his hand. He pulled back, lifting her to sit as he removed her under things, hearing the material rip as he did so.  
  
Finally she was naked, and he leant back to fully look at her again. Her breasts were gorgeous, full mounds with dark coloured nipples. His eyes roamed further down, down to her slender waist and beautiful hips, and further down, following the dusting of pubic hair to where he could just see her swollen clitoris peeking out slightly from her folds. She was mouth-watering.  
  
_“Christ alive,”_ he whispered.  
  
Dahlia just smiled, shifted herself further up the bed and spread her legs, presenting her deliciously wet cunt to his hungry eyes. Arthur leant forward and began to kiss his way down her body, starting at her supple breasts. He kissed and licked and gently bit at the tissue, massaging them as he took a nipple in his mouth and sucked hard, pulling a pleased gasp from his lover. He paid equal attention to each breast, only pulling away after he’d left red marks over the skin.  
  
He made his way further down, still leaving kisses and bites down her body. When he reached her hair covered mound, he nuzzled into it pressing kisses into the hair, revelling in her scent. He was impatient to taste her and moved further down so as he could get his lips on her most sensitive parts. He could feel how wet she was just by gently pressing his lips against her folds, her essence leaking out of her.  
  
He stroked her then, his tongue flat against her outer folds, licked her from perineum to clitoris, slowly and firmly. Dahlia exhaled shakily, her head falling back onto the bed. Arthur gently spread her lower lips with his fingers, opening her up for his viewing pleasure and dipped his tongue into her wet opening.  
  
Dahlia shut her eyes and moaned quietly, spreading her legs even further as Arthur continued to lick and prod and tease, avoiding her clitoris for the moment. She choked out a stilted cry as he suddenly latched onto the sensitive organ, alternating between gentle sucks and licks.  
  
Arthur groaned happily when she threaded her fingers through his hair, tugging gently. As he continued to eat her out, he added a finger, pushing and pulling the digit from her slick entrance. He smiled into her cunt as he felt her walls squeezing gently around his fingers uncoordinatedly. He added a second finger and began to pump in and out faster, a little harder, listening to her breathy moans as guidance.

She was close, he could feel it, and quickened his ministrations as she began to grind down on his hand, her breaths sounding choked off and broken, until finally she came with a wordless, quiet cry. Her entire body went stiff, her fingers tightening in his hair, her insides fluttering wildly around his fingers as her thighs squeezed around Arthur’s head, trapping him while he continued to lick and fuck his fingers into her desperately as she continued trying to ride his face into oblivion.  
  
When he finally came up for air, Dahlia pulled him up her body and began frantically kissing his lips, delving her tongue into his mouth and sighing openly as she tasted herself on his tongue. She pulled away long enough to give an amused stare at his jeans which were still on. Arthur chuckled quietly, pulling away to stand up and remove them.  
  
His jeans gone, he re-joined her on the bed and didn’t hesitate in capturing her mouth again. He pulled back to let out a breathy moan as she gripped his thick, leaking erection, pumping him quickly, spreading his pre-come down his shaft.  
  
_“Fuck,”_ Arthur moaned.  
  
Dahlia laughed gently. “That’s the idea, love.”  
  
Arthur gripped her hips, pulling her up as he sat back on his haunches and lifted her body to sit in his lap, manoeuvring her in such a way that his prick slid into her slick hole with little resistance. This made his normally quiet lover groan loudly, much to Arthur’s pleasure. He wasted no time in setting a brutal pace, gripping her arse tight enough to leave bruises come morning. Arthur was lost, chasing his pleasure while Dahlia cried out as he fucked her. He wrapped an arm around her back, holding her to him tightly, sucking on her throat again, marking her, falling into old habits.  
  
Using her body weight, she forced Arthur onto his back and began to ride him ferociously, Arthur holding on for his life. His feet pushed into the mattress, his back arching as he saw stars behind his eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been fucked like this, so thoroughly. She leant down to kiss at his throat, the kisses wet, full of teeth and clumsy – god did he love it.  
  
“Dahlia,” He tried to tell her he was about to come but couldn’t quite get the words out.  
  
It was much too late anyway, his whole body tensed up and an almost inhuman sound exited his body as he felt like his soul left him, and still Dahlia kept riding him as she came for a second time, moaning Arthur’s name like a prayer.

* * *

  
  
He must have passed out, as he awoke cleaned up and with Dahlia snuggled into his side, her fingers gently carding through the smattering of hair on his chest.  
  
He hummed contentedly, reaching for her hand and lifting it to his mouth to kiss her knuckles gently. He opened his eyes and looked too her, smiling gently. She looked positively debauched, her hair all over the place, dark bruises starting to form on her neck. He could only imagine how he himself looked.  
  
He didn’t want to leave, but he knew he needed too, had to get back to camp and to the people who needed him. But he missed this, missed _her_. He let his head fall back and closed his eyes, allowing himself to revel in this feeling for just a bit longer.  
  
Then he rolled over, getting out of the bed and began to search for his clothes.  
  
“You aren’t staying?” Dahlia asked, her expression slightly hurt.  
  
Arthur shook his head. “Believe me, I want too, but I need to get back. They need me Dahl.”  
  
_I need you_. Dahlia thought, but it went unspoken, didn’t need to be spoken.  
  
“Where are you headed too next?” Arthur asked as he pulled his jeans back on, sitting down on the bed to slip back into his boots.  
  
Dahlia rolled fully onto her belly, watching the man as he got dressed. She shrugged gently.  
  
“Canada. Marshall has some business there.”

She looked the man up and down. His back was turned to her as he pulled his shirt on, buttoning the front. She knew what she wanted to say, knew what the likely answer would be, but she tried anyway.  
  
“You know, the Marshall can give out pardon’s for bounties.”  
  
Arthur said nothing, but his back stiffened slightly, then he continued dressing himself by pulling on his coat, finishing up by putting his gun belt back on.  
  
He turned around then and sat on the edge of the bed. He cupped her cheek in his hand, and she laid her own over his. Arthur knew where this conversation was going, where it always went. The last time they had this conversation he hadn’t seen her for five years. His gut was twisted in knots again, his heart feeling heavy.  
  
He looked away from her all-knowing eyes, looked to where their hands had reached for each other on the bed.  
  
“Stay.” Was all he said.  
  
“Come with me.” She whispered.  
  
Arthur let out a long breath. And here they sat again. Two people on two very different paths, both with a choice to make. He was scared, and he knew she was just as terrified.  
  
So Arthur did what he was good at doing – fucking his marriage up.  
  
He leant in and kissed her, gently at first, then in bled his desperation, his frustration and sadness and anger. Dahlia just took it, allowing her own feelings to leech into the kiss also.  
  
Arthur pulled away and tried to ignore the silent tears streaming down his wife’s face. He got up from the bed and left.  
  
As he walked down the stairs to the small stable around the back of the saloon, he stopped, his hand pressed against the wall. He dropped his head into his hand as he quietly sobbed, gut wrenching, full body sobs.  
  
He knew this would be the last time her saw her.

**Author's Note:**

> Ouch. I still can't believe I did this to our fav cowpoke. Hopefully Arthur gets a break soon, he sure needs it!


End file.
